s.m.i.l.e. village

Victory Fellowship Unveils Houses for Single Mothers

Victory Fellowship in partnership with Equip International has unveiled two four roomed houses for single mothers in Queen Park East in Bulawayo .There are plans to build three more houses and foundations have already been laid for the next phase of the S.M.I.L.E. village project .S.M.I.L.E is an acronym for Single Mothers Included Loved and Empowered a ministry of Victory Fellowship .Pastor Dan Harding and his wife Yvonne have been at the forefront of the project for the past five years .A borehole has been drilled at the site and a water tank installed in preparation for small market gardening projects that will be done at the centre .

The two houses are part of a bigger vision which will result in the construction of a S.M.I.L.E village complete with a livelihoods projects .The project is unique in that it does not only address the immediate needs of vulnerable sections of the populace but importantly it empowers them to break the cycle of poverty .Whilst many initiatives by both church and secular organizations focus on hand outs and relief for situations of lack and poverty ,the S.M.I.L.E. village project equips single mothers to face the challenges of the future in an empowering and dignified manner .

At an emotional dedication of the two houses Pastor Harding recalled how they had launched the single mothers ministry dubbed Single Mothers Loved Included and Empowered over five years ago .The need for accommodation was one of the chief needs which they identified as a big hurdle for single mothers .Consequently they developed a vision and a passion for a village for single mothers .This resulted in an initial U.S 10,000 being injected into the project and there after another U.S 70,000 From a Canadian group named Equip International which has partnered with Equip Zimbabwe through Victory Fellowship to build the village .

A representative of Equip International Pastor Phil Nordin informed the people that gathered at the launch that it was the vision of the group to redeem orphans and widows from the indignity of poverty and lack .

To this end a group of Canadian Christian business men had come together to mobilize resources for partnership with people in the third world especially in providing shelter for widows and orphans .

Senior Pastor and Founder of Victory Fellowship, Rev Ken Haskins underscored the importance of partnerships in impacting communities for God .He stated that the partnership with Equip International would precipitate other partnerships between Victory Fellowship and local communities .Victory Fellowship is already running a school ,an H.I. V and AIDS project and a soup kitchen .

Besides the timely partnership with Equip International ,other key stakeholders that contributed to the project include Elder Alfred Nyalila who donated 6 acres of land towards the S.M.I.L.E Village .City businessman Alex Hwekwete provided expertise in planning whilst Francis Rakonda ,a finance guru provided sound financial advice .Importantly people such as Dean Webster sourced cement for the project at a time when it was in short supply .The initiative would have not been possible had it not been for the Canadian consortium of businessmen through Equip International who pumped over U.S 70,000 into the project .

The S.M.IL.E ministry exists to empower single women spiritually, emotionally, vocationally and of late economically through projects such as the S.M.I.L.E Village .

The SMILE Village Project is just the beginning of an exciting chapter in the kingdom of God as the church and specifically Victory Fellowship takes its rightful place as salt and light of the world.